Thomas Byrne
Ceist:173. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the key issues he will seek to raise in the forthcoming Brexit negotiations. [15110/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 28 March 2017
Ceisteanna (173)
Freagraí scríofa
My Department continues to work on risk assessment and contingency planning for Brexit and is participating in the Inter-Departmental Senior Officials Group that is preparing the response to the outcome of the UK referendum and that serves the Cabinet Committee on Brexit. My Department actively participates on two of Six Sectoral Brexit Workgroups established to provide key sectoral or thematic advices to the Cabinet Committee and Government. It chairs the Education and Research Subgroup of the Economy and Trade Workgroup, with members representing State bodies concerned with education, jobs, research/innovation, and science. It has also participated fully in the Government's All-Island Civic Dialogue events and process.
A recent meeting of the Education and Research Subgroup principally reflected on the results of stakeholder consultations to date and further meetings will take place with a view to informing strategy and responses on an ongoing basis.
During my visit to London for St Patrick's Day, I met with several key UK Ministers, including Secretary of State for Education Justine Greening, and politicians, as well as Irish groups. I took the opportunity to raise all of the Government's key Brexit priorities and, in particular, those relating to education. The discussions focused primarily on movement of people, North/South issues, labour market supply, research and opportunities for Ireland in the post-Brexit era. The UK Ministers clearly expressed their wish to continue the priority they attach to the close co-operation and relationship with Ireland and will aim to protect that to the greatest extent possible after Brexit in the upcoming talks with the EU.
Among the key education issues identified by the Government are Brexit's likely impact on the future of the Common Travel Area and its implications for students, teachers, academic staff and researchers, mutual recognition of qualifications, continued co-operation under the Good Friday Agreement, UK/Ireland research collaboration and partnerships between education institutions and enterprise as well as the implications for EU funding for research and the impact on EU funding programmes such as Horizon 2020, PEACE IV and Erasmus+.